Born in the north Midlands, Tommy Lyons was discovered playing at amateur level and signed for Villa in 1907 after a successful trial. The following season he established himself as a first-team regular, eventually notching up more then two hundred appearances before the war. He also played for the team during hostilities, but was well into his 30s by then and was sold on to Port Vale. His Villa years earned him a League Champions' medal in 1910 as well as four runner-up placings, besides an FA Cup triumph in 1913. Lyons was also a noted cricketer.

* Lyons also guested for Villa in a war-time fixture against Wolves in 1918-19, although he was on Port Vale's books by then.